What will happen after earthquake

You and others around you may be injured or in a state of shock; your home or workplace may be damaged; your pets may have run away, and you may not be able to contact your family. Stay calm, make sure you are safe, and then help those around you. The earthquake may have caused other hazards such as loose debris, live electricity and gas leaks, so it is important to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings.

Be alert for aftershocks. Do not enter buildings until they are examined and considered safe by emergency personnel. If a structure bears a color-coded sign, do not enter it until you get official information about what the sign means and advice about the safety of entering.

Await instructions from supervisors and emergency personnel. Aftershocks and tsunamis Be aware that earthquakes may continue after the initial tremor. Be alert and expect aftershocks.

Each time you feel an aftershock, drop, cover, and hold on. Aftershocks are often less violent than the main earthquake. However, they can be strong enough to damage weakened structures. Though they often occur in the few first hours after the initial earthquake, they can also happen after days, weeks, or even months have passed.

If you are in coastal areas, be aware of possible tsunamis. When local authorities issue a tsunami warning, assume that a series of large, dangerous waves could strike your area. Evacuate if time permits. Otherwise shelter-in-place and stay away from the beach. If anyone is injured, provide first aid, as best you can and contact the authorities in case of medical emergency. Monitor local news and radio for emergency information.

Use a flashlight to check utilities for damage including water, gas, and electric lines. If you smell gas or notice a broken water line, turn off the service at the main valve. Look for structural damage. Clean up broken glass or non-hazardous spills. These occur as deep as kilometres below the surface. Most earthquakes take place along the boundary between the plates. Heat currents propel the plates and this movement causes the plates to grind and collide against each other.

Since this is not a smooth process but is accompanied by friction and heat, tearing and shearing, the strain releases energy causing a fracture against the weak portions of the crust. This energy travels in waves along the surface of the earth causing what we term an earthquake. The heat currents that propel the plates are also thought to suck down sections of the undersea crust. This produces huge trenches on oceans thousands of feet deep. When the currents die away, the material forming the bottom of the trench rises, as it is lighter and sometimes unexpectedly forms mountain ranges or new islands to surface.

An undersea earthquake can also cause flash floods or trigger a tsunami. A tsunami is an enormous sea wave measuring over 80 feet that travels at speeds of kilometres per hour. If it does crash on land, it can cause devastating damage. On land surface too, earthquakes can change the terrain unexpectedly.

The Himalayan mountain range was formed as a direct result of two continental plates colliding against each other.